For Love and Money
by Hime Temari
Summary: All Kyoya Ootori wanted was a summer of peace and relaxation.  Instead he finds himself dealing with the most unlikely companion to cross his path, the result of which is a summer vacation that neither party will forget.  Kyoya X OC
1. Prologue

*A/N* This story has been a long time in the making, however I feel there would be no point in continuing if you, the readers, find it cliched and/or a waste of time. Therefore I would like to request that you all present your opinion on whether or not you think this story worthwhile to continue. I have had quite a bit of fun writing it so far, and while there are a few chapters available already, they will only be posted based on readers response. So please, review.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or any of its characters/settings/plot ideas. I do however own any characters created by myself. No profit is made off this story.

Prologue

_I have often tried to rationalize the events of the past summer, but to no avail. What happened to me is not something that can be understood with the mind. Coming from someone like me, these words might seem out of place; after all, I have been labelled the 'cool type' by the many young, female guests that take advantage of our club's services. Unlike the other members of the Host Club, I find no need to put on an act for our guests. With me, what you see is what you get, though even I have to admit it is sometimes difficult to see what you are getting._

_In case you are wondering what type of person I am, let me give you a little background information. I value order, and part of my duties as Vice-president of the Host Club is to see to it that the antics of the President and my best friend do not get too out of hand. All finances are managed by me, and I consider it good practice for the day that I will be put in charge of one of my father's companies. Of course I have to compete with two older brothers; however I consider my father's expectations for me to be as good as my brothers as an exciting game._

_But that is entirely off subject. I will get back to the story of my summer now._

_Before I begin the story, it is important for you to understand something about me. My family – the esteemed Ootori family – is rich and powerful, and many a young lady has fallen for my cool looks and charm. I could have my pick of any woman I want – someone with beauty, grace, and charm; someone from an influential family that would be a valuable asset to the family._

_Violet Sakamoto was pretty, but there were always prettier girls to choose from at Ouran High. She was smart, but then so was Haruhi, and I certainly did not go around chasing after Haruhi. _

_Violet was, in short, a rude, stubborn, sarcastic commoner who did not know her place, and I spent most of what was supposed to be a relaxing summer vacation dealing with her antics. My friends were of no help; Tamaki wanted to adopt her, Hikaru and Kaoru, the twins, thought she was an amusing toy. Hani was only interested in whether or not she liked sweets, and of course Mori went along with anything Hani said. _

_However, as my summer started to draw to a close, I came to realize something that I had not noticed until now, but I'm getting ahead of myself again. It's better if we simply start at the beginning, when life was still normal._

_Before I met Violet Sakamoto._


	2. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One**_

"Mommy!"

Kyoya Ootori sighed inwardly at the sound of his best friend's call. It was an ongoing joke amongst the club members that as the Vice-president of the Host Club, Kyoya was the 'mom', and Tamaki – being President – was the 'dad'. The joke had stuck, and these days Tamaki used the term 'mom' to call Kyoya whenever things were not going his way.

Pushing his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose, Kyoya turned to address his friend.

"What is it this time?"

"Hikaru and Kaoru are trying to steal my precious daughter from me again!"

This argument again. It had started a week ago, when everyone was discussing their summer vacation plans. An argument broke out when the twins invited Haruhi to spend her vacation with them. Ever since Haruhi had stumbled into their lives and their club, Tamaki had taken up the task of looking after her, going so far as to even call her his daughter. More often than not though, his idea of looking after her only ended up causing her more grief. Still, it was Tamaki's way of showing his affection for her, and everyone accepted it – everyone, except the twins of course. Tamaki nearly had a heart attack at the idea of his precious 'daughter' spending time with the troublesome twins, and insisted she refuse them and accept his offer instead.

They carried on in this fashion, and every day brought another argument that Kyoya had to smooth out. He was starting to grow weary of it.

"Haruhi has already refused all three of you. She's just as eager as I am to spend some time away from your madness."

"But. . .but. . ."

"Let it rest Tamaki. You've seen Haruhi nearly every day this term during club activities. A few months apart will be good for you."

"How can you try to separate a father from his daughter? What if something were to happen to her while she's away? What if she doesn't come back?" Tamaki asked, bringing his hand down onto the table with thud. Kyoya could not help thinking his best friend could be so melodramatic at times.

"Firstly, Haruhi doesn't have a passport, so she can't leave the country. Secondly, her real father has to work through the summer, so she won't be leaving home; and thirdly, she cannot leave until her debt is paid which – considering her bank balance – is just about impossible."

Tamaki stared at his friend in awe. "Wow, you really do know everything."

Kyoya could not help the smirk that Tamaki's words brought. He took pride in knowing about each member of the Host Club. Some might call it an invasion of privacy, but Kyoya liked to think of it as necessary insurance.

Hikaru and Kaoru materialised behind Tamaki, their ever-present mischievous grins firmly in place.

"We will not lose to you, President," Hikaru started.

"Haruhi is _our_ toy," Kaoru finished. Tamaki whirled around to face them, his arms stretching out as if to grab the twins by their necks. With a yell, he charged forward. Laughing, the twins took off, calling out challenges and taunting Tamaki over their shoulders. Kyoya watched with mild amusement. It was not unusual for them to behave in such a childish manner; Kyoya was only glad there were no customers around to witness this.

If only the hundreds of young ladies that visited their club knew what their idols were really like. Each one of the members put forth a different act to appeal to the masses. Each one of them was good-looking in his own right, but it was their different demeanours that drew in the customers.

Tamaki, for instance, was the romantic type. With his terms of endearment and promises of undying love, Tamaki Suoh drew in the most customers.

The Hitachiin twins, Hikaru and Kaoru, gained much attention with their 'forbidden brotherly love' act. The two loved toying with people, and girls could not resist watching the brothers' affectionate public displays. As one would expect, the brothers never over did it, but cleverly foreshadowed their words – always hinting but never revealing. As a result, one could never say for sure whether or not their 'forbidden love' really was just an act, or the real thing.

Haninozuka Mitsukuni, or more commonly known as Hani, really lived up to his 'sweet' name. Despite being the oldest member of the club, his childlike appearance and love for sweets and fluffy stuffed animals made him the cutest member by far. Their female customers fawned over him, treating him like a small child. Not that he disliked being treated like a child. He thoroughly enjoyed being fed cake and taking naps with his head in the lap of whichever girl had picked him for the day.

Morinozuka Takashi is Hani's cousin and constant companion. Morinozuka, or Mori for short, never strays far from Hani. Though Hani is quite capable of taking care of himself, Mori insists on looking after him. Mori is known as the 'strong silent type' – unusually tall and never saying much except to remind Hani to brush his teeth, and it is precisely this 'big brother' attitude that attracts the ladies. The young women that visit their club adore his dark looks, but are even more enchanted by his gentle nature.

And then there was Haruhi Fujioka, who was the only female host. Everyone in the school, however, believed she was a boy since she typically dressed in the boy's uniform and wore her hair short. Haruhi was quite popular since she got along well with the girls – being one herself. They were always commenting on how she would make a cute girl. If only they knew. . .

As for Kyoya, he did not put on any act. The girls who chose him loved him for his intelligent conversations, good looks, and cool demeanour. However, he was glad that the school would close soon for summer vacation. Tamaki's club activities were starting to wear him out, and besides, they would be going over budget soon. What with all the costumes they'd had to hire for theme parties, plus the big order for cakes – compliments of Hani – as well as all the refreshments that had to be supplied for guests, their activities were costing a pretty penny. Fortunately they made a lot of that money back by selling club merchandise.

It was a fine line they walked, and Kyoya was responsible for making sure they did not fall off the fence. All of them, except Haruhi, came from wealthy families, so technically speaking money should not have been an issue, but Tamaki had a thing for attempting to do things 'the commoner's way', and so they tried to refrain from relying on their parents.

That was why this vacation could not have come at a better time. He was tired of balancing school work with Tamaki's desire for attention.

Pretty soon he'd be able to sit back and relax.

He was looking forward to that.

* * *

Violet Sakamoto sat at her school desk, thoughtfully chewing on the pink eraser at the end of her pencil. The teacher at the front of the class was still talking, but Violet had long since stopped listening and was currently eyeing the clock, counting down the minutes before the final bell rang. Time seemed to be moving unbearably slow today.

Just when she thought she could not stand to wait any longer, Violet heard the resounding gong that echoed throughout the school, signalling their freedom had arrived at last. The class representative gave the order to rise, which Violet was more than happy to do. After greeting the teacher, they were finally free to go.

Summer vacation was here!

Violet grabbed her bag and hurried out into the corridor along with hoards of other students. A familiar voice soon called out to her above the noise of the other chattering students.

"Vi! Hey Vi, wait up!"

Violet stopped and turned to wait for her best friend Sarah Nakimura to catch up.

"Ah free at last. I'm so glad it's over; exams were killer! How do you think you did?"

"It wasn't so bad, I'm sure I'll do well enough."

Sarah pursed her lips at Violet's answer. "You always say that, and you always do very well."

"Where's Ken? Aren't you two kinda joined at the hip?" Violet asked, changing the subject of exams. Kenjiro Ueda was Sarah's boyfriend. The two had liked each other for a while, but had only recently become a couple after an intervention by Violet. She argued that had she not stepped in, the two would still be dancing circles around each other.

"He has basketball practice this afternoon."

Violet rolled her eyes. "It's the first day of summer and the man wants to spend his time doing manual labour?"

"Playing sport is not manual labour, Vi."

"Well then I must be in the wrong gym class."

The two entered into the locker rooms and made for the shoe lockers. As they swapped their indoor shoes for their outdoor ones, Sarah looked up at her friend.

"So you wanna hang out? We can go to a karaoke bar."

Violet straightened, brushing some of her long blonde hair out of her face and closing her locker.

"Maybe some other time."

Sarah pushed out her bottom lip in a look that clearly displayed her disappointment.

"Come on, what could be more fun than going to a karaoke bar with me?"

"Well considering you're tone deaf, I'd say there are a lot of things I would consider more fun."

"Seriously Vi, if you could, you'd probably sleep through the entire summer. Will it kill you to go out some time?"

"It just might. There are plenty of dangers out there for young, gullible teenagers such as ourselves," Violet answered, adding a dramatic edge to her voice and pressing her hand to her forehead in a classic 'damsel-in-distress' pose. Sarah lightly slapped her shoulder, trying hard not to giggle. "Is your mom going to be home tonight?"

Violet nodded her answer with a smile.

"Well then I guess you can be excused this time, but don't leave me hanging all summer."

"Sure thing Sarah. Tell Ken I said hi," Violet called over her shoulder as she made for the exit.

As her feet carried her down the sidewalk, she contemplated whether or not to take the bus, but decided against it in the end. She was in no hurry to get home; her mother probably would not be back till later, so the only one waiting for her at home was her pet hamster, Milo.

"Violet!"

The young blonde froze in her tracks. She knew that voice – she would recognize that arrogant tone anywhere.

"Go away Duke," she muttered, quickening her pace.

"You've been avoiding me, sweetheart."

Violet rolled her eyes. "Well done on working that one out. Why don't you go home and think about what that could mean."

He of course deliberately ignored her. No matter what she said, she could not get him to leave her alone. Duke Nakatoni was the most popular guy in her year. Blessed with good looks and charm, practically every girl she knew swooned at the mere sight of him. Of course his sub-average grades proved that there was very little room in that ego-inflated head of his to think of anything else besides himself.

She had been unlucky enough to tutor him in Biology before final exams the previous year, and ever since the start of the new year, he had been trying his luck with her.

Why he chose her, she did not know, but guessed it was probably because out of all the girls in the second year, she was the only one who wanted nothing to do with him.

"So you wanna hang out?" he asked, following behind her with his hands in his pockets.

"Nope."

"How about Saturday?"

"Not this Saturday, not the next one, not ever."

"Will you help me with my Biology?"

At this, Violet stopped and turned to face him. "No, for three reasons: One, exams are over. Two, its summer vacation – there's no possible reason for you to want to study, and three, the only Biology you're interested in is my own."

A smug smile stretched across his face at her last point, causing her to sigh with disgust.

"You're an idiot Duke."

Violet turned to leave, and this time Duke did not follow. She had no doubt, however, that she had not seen the last of him. The man was like an annoying fly that she could not seem to get rid of.

By the time Violet rounded the final corner and saw the apartment building up ahead, she was dragging her feet. All she wanted was to kick off her shoes, find a comfortable spot on the couch and spend the rest of the afternoon watching medical dramas on TV. She climbed the two flights of stairs and made straight for the door to the apartment she shared with her mother. After spending a minute fumbling around in her bag for her keys, she unlocked the door and let herself in.

Violet dropped her school bag just inside the door and removed her shoes. She noticed there was another pair already lying at the entrance and realized her mother must have come home early. Padding across the wooden floors to the kitchen entrance, she poked her head around the corner to look in. Her mother sat at the kitchen table with her head resting on her arms. She did not stir, and must not have heard Violet come in.

"Mom?"

Her mother jumped up at the sound of her voice and quickly proceeded to look busy.

"Violet. I didn't hear you come in."

"Are you ok? You're home early."

"The Master gave me off early since there wasn't all that much left to do. Did I tell you he and his wife are going abroad this summer? His two eldest boys will be taking care of business for him while he's away, isn't that nice?"

Her mother sat back down, closing her eyes wearily. Violet frowned at her unusual behaviour, but then she noticed how flushed her mother's cheeks were, and the strands of hair that framed her face were slightly damp. Moving over to her side, Violet pressed the back of her hand against her mother's forehead.

"Mom you're burning up! I think you're coming down with something."

"No no, I'm fine. It's nothing."

Not once in her life had she ever seen her mother sick, and seeing her like this now made Violet feel very concerned.

"You are not fine. You should go lie down."

Her mother paused and thought about the offer, but shook her head after a moment.

"I wanted to make us a nice dinner."

"Oh Mother seriously? I'm quite able to take care of myself. Just you go on to bed."

Her mother finally agreed and disappeared to her room. Violet waited until she was gone before rummaging around the kitchen for a small plastic bowl. Upon discovering one, she filled it with cold water, grabbed a cloth and walked into her mother's room. She found her mother just getting into bed, having stripped of her clothes and changed into her pyjamas. Violet swept back the dark hair that framed her mother's face and gently placed the cool, damp cloth against her forehead.

"I'll go check the medicine cabinet for anything that will fight off your fever. Don't move," Violet instructed seriously. Her mother chuckled, leaning her head back onto the soft pillows.

"I suppose you consider this practice for one day becoming a doctor?" her mother teased. Violet refrained from answering, moving instead to the bathroom where the medicine cabinet was.

It was true; she one day dreamed of becoming a doctor, but in all likelihood, her dream would remain exactly that. Her mother worked as a maid for some rich family, a profession Violet considered degrading in the very least, but what choice was there? Her good-for-nothing father had left when Violet was a child, and had never bothered to provide some sort of compensation. Since her mother had married young and never pursued further education after high school, there was no prospect of a well-paying job. Minimum-wage was what they had to live off. Her mother was willing to do anything, and was fortunate to find work in the wealthy district, clear across the city. Taking care of a household was one thing she did well, and things started to look up financially.

Their own family life suffered as a result. Her mother came home late at night, more often than not too exhausted to spend much time with her daughter. While most servants working for a wealthy family stayed on the property, Violet's mother declined for her sake and instead commuted to and from the mansion every day. Violet spent much of her early childhood alone at home, but she was sensible enough not to sulk over the circumstances. Her mind was sharp enough to grasp what was expected of her, and so she let go of all her ideals on what a childhood should be and determined to learn how to take care of herself. Elementary school provided some distraction, but having been alone for so long, Violet found it difficult to relate to the other children. It was to be expected – other children her age lived care-free lives. She was different, and if there was one thing children noticed, it was difference.

So while she joined in with their fun and games, more than that could not be expected, and her relationships with the other children in her class did not extend beyond the school environment.

Despite being somewhat withdrawn socially, Violet excelled in her studies. While other children would run to their parents for help with homework assignments, Violet was forced to seek help elsewhere and turned instead to books. She developed a habit of going straight to the library after school where she would spend most of the afternoon doing homework and reading. It was because of this that she became known as the 'nerd' of the school, and was often mocked because of it. This led to her developing a sharp tongue which she used to defend herself, but this only made her more unpopular.

Violet met Sarah in middle school – ironically enough in the library. Sarah had been doing research for a project, and had asked Violet for assistance as she knew Violet always got top marks. Violet agreed, and Sarah, being able to see through Violet's hardened exterior, quickly became her best friend.

In High school, things started to change. People started to notice Violet, calling her appearance 'exotic'. No matter how much she despised her father, she was essentially a spitting image of him – according to her mother at least. Her father had not been Japanese like her mother, and it was from him that she inherited her golden blonde hair and rounded eyes. This made her stand out, and she began receiving a lot of attention from the opposite sex. She did not care for it much, but it made life slightly easier as no one ridiculed her anymore. It was in High school that she decided she wanted to be a doctor, but for that she needed money.

There was the option of a scholarship, but she needed to be the very best which put significant strain on her. All she could do was continue as she always had and hope for the best.

Violet did not talk about her mother's profession to anyone except Sarah. She hated the idea of her mother being treated as a slave, despite the fact that her mother insisted she was treated well.

"It is a job like any other, Violet," her mother always said when the subject was brought up. These days she did not push the topic anymore, and simply let her mother be. It would be difficult to find any other job; that much she understood, and so she accepted it as best she could.

Violet rummaged through their stock of medicines and eventually found something that could work. Before leaving the bathroom, she paused and glanced sideways in the mirror. What she saw was the image of a man she'd grown to hate with every bone in her body, and fighting back tears of frustration at what she thought to be ugliness, she walked back to tend to her mother.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

The next morning, Violet woke early, still in the habit of rising for school. Grumbling, she decided to grab a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal and climb back into bed. It was summer vacation after all; she had nowhere to be.

When she walked into the kitchen, yawning and raking her fingers through her hair, she realized there were no signs of her mother having risen yet. Normally her mother was the first to rise, and by the time Violet woke for school, her mother had already left. Violet could always find her mother's coffee mug in the sink and her used plate or bowl.

But today there was nothing.

Her mother had never missed a day of work; she must have been feeling worse that Violet imagined.

Fully awake now, Violet hurried into her mother's room and found her still in bed, her eyes closed. Violet walked over to stand beside her and gently placed a hand against her mother's forehead. The fever was still there, and Violet started to worry.

"Mom," she whispered, gently shaking her mother's shoulder. She stirred, opening her eyes. She did not look at all well; her skin was pale and pasty, except for her cheeks which were ruby red. The faint smell of sweat emanated from her body, which was not unusual considering.

"What time is it?"

"6:30."

"I'm going to be late!" Her mother started to rise, but did not get far before she collapsed back down onto the pillows, exhausted by the small movement.

"You're not going anywhere like this."

"I promised the Master I'd be there to keep things under control. Miss Fuyumi thinks she can manage the household whenever her parents are gone, but she's terrible at housework and everything will be in chaos in a manner of minutes if I'm not there to keep things in order."

"I'm sure it can't be all that bad," Violet assured her, but her mother shook her head firmly.

"You don't know Fuyumi Ootori."

Sighing, Violet sat down on the edge of her mother's bed. "What if I take your place?"

A look of disbelief flashed across her mother's face.

"You?"

"Why not?" Violet said with a shrug. "I can do everything you can."

"That may be, but –"

"Come on Mom, it's only until you're well enough to go back to work."

"Yes but its summer vacation. You're willing to give up your holiday?"

Violet shrugged. She didn't much like the idea of working in what was supposed to be a break from all the work, but sacrificing a few days to put her mother at ease was worth it.

Besides, they could always use the money, thanks to her bastard of a father.

* * *

"Kyoya!"

The youngest Ootori turned over in his bed, hoping that the voice he heard was all part of a dream.

"Kyoya!"

Groaning, he pulled the covers over his head and tried to block out his sister's voice. She knew well enough that he was **not **a morning person, especially since it was the first day of summer.

He heard the door to his room open, and soft footsteps that could only belong to his sister padded up to the bed.

"Kyoya," she whispered, shaking his shoulder.

"What?" he snapped, his voice muffled by the covers.

"Namiko Sakamoto's daughter is here."

"Who?"

"Come now brother, the woman has worked for us for so long."

Kyoya threw back the covers in frustration, glaring up at his sister.

"What do you want me to do?" he barked, not at all pleased at having his sleep disturbed.

"She says her mother has fallen ill, and she's requested to take her place for a few days until her mother is back on her feet. I want to know if you approve of this arrangement. I could always send her home and take care of the housework myself."

At this Kyoya was suddenly wide awake. Memories of past experiences where his sister had taken on household responsibilities flashed through his mind. For someone like him who valued order, the idea of so much chaos caused a shudder to run down his spine.

"No! Tell her we'll approve it."

He saw the disappointment in his sister's eyes and knew she had already been planning how she would reorganise his closet. The last time she tried that, his clothes had ended up all over the room because she claimed they would not fit in his drawers.

Fuyumi had a good heart, but she could be such a klutz when it came to those kinds of things. He shuddered to think what she would do to the kitchen if she ever decided to take up cooking.

"Alright, if you say so."

Fuyumi left, and Kyoya decided it would be pointless to try and go back to sleep now that he was awake. Leaning over towards the bedside table, he snatched up his glasses and slipped them onto his face. He yawned, stretching his arms into the air.

He still felt tired, but it was nothing a nice hot shower could not fix.

* * *

Violet stood in the ridiculously large kitchen, shifting her feet uncomfortably and trying hard to avoid the looks of curiosity from those encircling her. When the other servants had heard the news of the arrival of Namiko's daughter, they had all gathered to meet her for the first time.

"Well, I see what Namiko meant when she said her daughter was a spitting image of her father," said Daisuke, the butler. He looked to be in his mid-fifties, with typical Japanese features – dark hair peppered with grey, inky black eyes and a small stature. He wore a plain white pressed shirt with a pair of black trousers.

"Your mother said you were _une belle_, but I see now that her words were insufficient," added Bruno the chef, with a French twang to his words. He was a short, stout fellow with brown hair and green eyes. His uniform was all white, except for the apron tied around his round middle which was covered with food stains. The only person who did not comment on Violet's appearance was the other maid working for the Ootori family – Gale. She merely stared at Violet with a slight frown.

"How unfortunate that Namiko has fallen ill," said Daisuke.

"Indeed," Bruno agreed with a nod of his head.

"I don't mean to interrupt," Violet started, growing a little impatient. "But can anyone tell me where I'm supposed to begin?"

All three stopped, eyeing her up and down. It was Bruno who finally broke the silence.

"Oh _ma chérie_, you cannot work looking like that!"

"What's wrong with how I look?" Violet asked, feeling annoyed by his comment.

"What Bruno means is you must be in uniform, like Gale."

Violet turned her attention to the woman standing a few feet away. She was young, probably new judging by her age, and her uniform consisted of a navy blue dress with long sleeves and a skirt that ended just below the knees. Furthermore, she too had a white apron tied around her waist, though this one was clean, and a pair of simple black shoes adorned her feet.

"Oh no, I'm not wearing that."

"But you must," Bruno insisted, to which Daisuke nodded solemnly. Violet's mouth opened to argue, but she was interrupted when the slender, dark-haired woman who had spoken to her earlier entered the kitchen. Violet noticed how the other servants instantly straightened their postures, their eyes lowering in respect for the woman. Violet recalled that the woman had introduced herself as the infamous Fuyumi Ootori, the one her mother had mentioned.

"My brother would like to speak with you," said Fuyumi, addressing Violet. "Daisuke, take her to the study please. Bruno, I will take my breakfast outside this morning. That is all."

"Yes Miss Ootori," the two replied before springing to work. Daisuke indicated that Violet should follow him as he led her into the west wing of the ground floor. Stopping outside the study door, he instructed her to wait inside for Mr. Ootori. Violet stepped inside and gazed around. A large mahogany desk stood near the back wall. Stacks of paper were carefully arranged on the glossy surface, and behind the desk stood a bookcase the length of the entire wall, filled with books of every shape and size. A glass door leading out into the garden was on the right, and two plush armchairs stood across one another on the left. A portrait of a stern-looking, dark-haired man hung on the left wall. He wore a pair of small round glasses and an expensive looking dark blue suit. Violet stared hard into the man's dark, unmoving eyes before finally tearing herself away and walking over to the bookshelf. Enthusiastically, she scanned over the vast array of titles, most of them related to medicine. She had just drawn out one of the books and flipped it open to the first page when the door to the study opened. Violet raised her head to look at the new arrival, and was surprised to see the same face she had seen in the painting. The man stopped with his hand still on the doorknob, viewing her with one eyebrow raised and his mouth drawn into a grim line. He had the same short, raven black hair, the same dark, penetrating eyes and the same small, round glasses; but he was younger looking than the man in the portrait, his facial features softer. He seemed to be closer to her own age.

"You are Namiko's daughter?"

Violet flinched at the casual way in which the boy used her mother's name, but refrained from commenting, realising it would only cause her mother trouble if she started to insist this boy show some respect to her mother, who was after all much older than him.

"I am. My name is Violet."

The youth seemed to consider her a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he eyed her up and down.

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen"

"Hmm, well, either your mother looks good for her age, or she had you when she was very young. Which is it?"

Violet immediately sensed the judgemental tone in his voice, and her temper flared at his snobbish behaviour. She felt her cheeks redden as she struggled to keep her voice under control.

"That is none of your business."

The youth smirked before stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

"You're right; I don't really care either way. Let's get down to business, shall we?"

"Should you not introduce yourself first?" Violet asked, replacing the book in her hands and moving around the desk.

"Surely your mother spoke of me?" he asked, regarding her in a somewhat disdainful manner.

"Perhaps, but I couldn't be bothered to remember." She could tell her words had some effect by the dark look that passed across his face for a brief moment.

"Then I see no reason to introduce myself as if I were speaking to an equal," he retorted, regaining his aloof composure once more. His words hit Violet like a slap in the face, and she found herself growing to dislike the young man with every passing second.

"Oh no, I would never regard you and I as equals," she replied with a hint of superiority in her tone, her voice sounding strangely calm to her own ears.

"Well at least we agree on something," he retorted, deflecting her insult.

Kyoya moved over to his father's desk and sat down in the comfortable leather chair, waving his hand to the somewhat less comfortable chair on the other side of the desk for her to sit. Violet slowly sat down across from him, her eyes never leaving his. Kyoya found himself mildly amused by her rude defiance, but he knew his patience for it would not last long, especially since this girl was the reason he had been forced out of bed.

"So, you say your mother is ill?" He instantly saw some of the stubbornness leave her deep brown eyes, replaced by concern.

"Yes. She should be fine after a few days rest, but she was insistent about coming in to work. She felt her presence would be needed, and so I offered to take her place until her illness passes, if that is alright with you of course."

"You think you will be able to fill your mother's shoes?"

"I can do everything she can. While she was here taking care of your family, I was at home taking care of myself and our apartment," she replied, her tone dripping with resentment towards Kyoya.

"This mansion is considerably larger than your dingy little apartment," he pointed out.

"I can do it!" she snapped.

For a few moments Kyoya was silent. He had already agreed to accept this arrangement, but now that he was fully awake, he found himself doubting whether or not it was worth it. The girl was obviously not familiar with their lifestyle, and she seemed to hold a certain disregard for everything he was. She was doing this out of necessity, yet every movement, every expression screamed her disappointment at being in this position. Kyoya could sense by the way she carried herself that she was a proud woman, one who would find it difficult to suppress that fighting spirit and become someone else's servant. Kyoya, however, had just as much spirit as she did, and he had a knack for bringing his enemies down and proving who the superior individual was. It was this part of his psyche that yearned to prove himself superior to the girl, to break that spirit in her eyes and show her who she was messing with.

She was, after all, nothing more than a commoner.

"Very well, you may stand in for your mother; however you will be required to behave yourself as though you were one of our employees. That means you will treat every member of the Ootori family with respect, and you will obey every order that comes your way. Do you agree to this?"

It was Violet's turn to sit quietly, breathing deeply to avoid speaking rashly. She longed to tell him where to stick his offer and go home to her mother, but she knew her mother's reputation would suffer as a result of her stubbornness.

"I agree," she said quickly, before she had a chance to reconsider. She saw a small but smug smile tug at the corner of his mouth and instantly regretted her words.

"Good. You are dismissed."


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

Gale was assigned to show Violet around the mansion, explaining to her what needed to be done in each section. Violet followed behind her, listening half-heartedly to what was said, her focus continuously drawn away by the uncomfortable uniform. Gale quickly caught her attention, however, when they passed by Kyoya's room.

"Master Kyoya is very particular about his room. You are not to enter his room before noon, in case he is still asleep. Master Kyoya is not much of a morning person, and he can be very grumpy when disturbed. Also, his desk is not to be touched. He is very organised, and insists that no one touch his work in case they mess up the order of things. Master Kyoya is in actual fact a neat individual, so there is never much to do in his room."

Violet did not fail to note the affectionate tone Gale used when discussing Kyoya Ootori, but she was baffled by how anyone could find someone like him appealing. He was definitely handsome, but his superior attitude diminished the effect his looks would have. At least Violet thought so; Kyoya reminded her a bit of Duke, though Duke was far more openly arrogant. Kyoya was sly and cunning.

Once Gale had finished briefing Violet, she was set to work clearing away the breakfast dishes and carting them off to the kitchen. While Fuyumi and Kyoya had been the only two of the Ootori family that Violet had seen, the two extra plates on the dining room table suggested that the other two children had been present. They had probably left before Violet had arrived, but she was not particularly bothered with meeting them. When she brought the subject up with Bruno, he assured her she would probably not meet them.

"The elder boys, they leave early and arrive late. The hospital is like their home."

Gale insisted she be the one to clean the bedrooms, at least for today, to allow Violet to settle in. So Violet was left with the ground floor, which presented more than enough work to keep her busy. As she moved from room to room, dusting, mopping or vacuuming as she went along, her thoughts were drawn to her conversation with Kyoya. She replayed his words in her mind, feeling her anger rise up again at his arrogance. She hated being made to feel as though she were lesser than human, and could not understand how her mother put up with it. Her thoughts turned to how she could get back at the young rich boy, but she quickly realised that her biggest concern was not what she did, but how she got away with it. She could not let anything compromise her mother's position, but every room in the house was equipped with security cameras. There was no way she could do anything without being incriminated.

Her first day dragged by, and by the end of it she was feeling exhausted. The whole way to the bus stop she grumbled about her aching feet, and the rest of the way home she grumbled about her aching back. Finally arriving at home, Violet dropped everything just inside the front door before dragging herself over to her mother's room. She found to her resting, and to her relief the fever had broken. Without waking her mother, Violet went into the bathroom and had a nice hot bath before crawling into bed. There would be no watching medical dramas on television tonight, and even though her stomach rumbled with hunger, she felt herself lacking the strength to get up again. Instead she fell asleep immediately, and only moved when her alarm went off the following morning. With a sigh, Violet rose and went to check in with her mother again. She was awake this time, but to Violet's surprise the sheets around her mother were wet with sweat.

"Did the fever return?" Violet asked, anxiously pressing her hand to her mother's forehead. Her skin was warm, but not hot with fever.

"There was no fever, but I got very hot during the night."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I figured you must have been quite tired; I didn't want to disturb you." When her mother saw the reprimanding look in her eyes, she quickly added, "Besides, I was too exhausted to move."

Violet frowned, contemplating calling the Ootori household and telling them she would not be coming in, but her mother insisted she would be alright if she could just rest some more, and so Violet left after preparing her mother's breakfast to eat later. The only thing that comforted Violet at leaving home at such a ridiculously early hour was the fact that the sun came up early in summer, and the cool morning air was actually quite refreshing.

Violet finally reached the Ootori mansion, after making the long trip across town, and waved at the security man as she passed through the gates. He waved back, but indicated she should stop for a moment. She waited while he left his small office to one side of the gate and walked up to her.

"Good morning Miss. I was wondering if I could ask a favour of you."

"What is it?"

"I forgot to mention this to young Mr. Ootori yesterday, but we've been experiencing some problems with certain security cameras around the house. I've already called someone up, and he'll be here later this morning to fix it, but we'll have to cut the power to all the cameras while he's working, just so Mr. Ootori knows. It shouldn't be off for more than an hour."

Violet's mind began to whirl at the chance that had just presented itself. She smiled inwardly at the plan that began to formulate.

"When should I say the man will be here?" she asked.

"He'll definitely be here before noon. About 10 or 11 I should say."

Violet grinned and assured the man she would pass the message along. She walked the rest of the way to the mansion softly humming to herself, and even Daisuke and Bruno questioned her on her good mood when she came from the change room dressed in her mother's uniform.

"Oh, today just feels like one of those days when you know things will go your way," she replied mysteriously, saying no more on the matter. She was permitted to have breakfast with the rest of the staff, which she thoroughly enjoyed, all the while thinking of her revenge plot. Violet went about her duties normally, but all the while she kept an eye on the security cameras. The second she saw the blinking red light go off, she sprang into action, hurrying over to Kyoya's closed door. Since it was not yet noon, there had been no sign of the teen, and Violet pressed her ear to the door, listening for any sounds of movement. Hearing nothing, Violet quietly turned the knob and pushed the door open a crack, just enough for her to peer inside. The interior was dimly lit since the curtains were still drawn, but the unmade bed was empty, and she could hear the sound of the shower coming from the en suite bathroom. Moving as silently as she could, Violet tiptoed into the bedroom and made her way over to the forbidden desk. Just as Gale had described, there were piles of notebooks and loose sheets of paper neatly stacked into piles. Without hesitation, Violet began shifting the papers around, taking three or four from one pile and slipping them into another. She made sure to listen for the sound of the water stopping, indicating that Kyoya was done with his shower. After making sure the piles of paper were once more neatly stacked in the same fashion as they had been, she made to leave, only to spot a printed out sheet on top of the pile nearest to her that looked like a budget of sorts. Grabbing it, Violet scanned through the sheet, noticing that some items had been pencilled in, no doubt to be added on electronically later. Before she could think better of it, Violet grabbed an eraser and erased all the pencilled in amounts, rewriting her own before replacing the sheet on top of the pile. At that moment, she heard the flow of water coming from the bathroom cease, and moving as quickly as she dared, she rushed over to the door, opening it and stepping out before turning to make it seem as though she were just about to enter. Seconds later Kyoya emerged with only a towel wrapped around his middle and another over his head, which he was using to dry his wet hair. He paused when he noticed Violet frozen in the doorway, and slowly allowed the towel over his head to slip down around his neck, fully revealing his face to her. For a moment she felt her breath catch in her throat. She had not realised that beneath his clothing lay such broad shoulders and firm chest and abdomen. Her eyes did not linger on his semi-naked form, however, for she found his eyes to be more captivating. Without his glasses, his gaze seemed colder and somehow more intense, especially now that it was directed at her.

"What are you doing there?" he asked calmly, not at all bothered by the fact that he was only covered by a towel.

"I-I was just coming in to clean up. It is almost noon."

"Come back later. I'm busy," he replied with an impatient wave of his hand, indicating she should leave. Violet felt a prick of anger stab through her previous state of amazement, and she felt her face grow hot with shame for having noticed him in the first place. Closing the door, she returned downstairs to the living room. She began wiping the various side tables with a damp cloth, pondering over how long it would take for Kyoya to notice what she had done. She did not have to wait long for her answer, for just as she was leaving the living room, she saw him storm down the staircase in search of her. When he spotted her, Kyoya stomped over to her. Violet noticed how his eyes had darkened.

"You! You were messing with my things, weren't you?" he shouted, his eyes flashing with anger, resembling stormy skies. Violet fought the urge to smile smugly, feigning indifference.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, _Sir_," she replied, her voice sickly sweet, veiling the taunting tone that lay beneath her words. He closed the distance between them, bringing his face close to hers so that their noses were nearly touching.

"Don't give me that. You deliberately entered my room while I was in the shower and messed up my work. Now I have to start from scratch!"

Violet smiled this time, unable to hold it back any longer.

"Prove it," she replied, pronouncing each word slowly and deliberately, her eyebrows rising in challenge.

"I can. I'll get the security tapes. Did you forget there are cameras in every room? What a rookie mistake, getting caught on camera." He tilted his chin, looking down at her in triumph, but her smile only widened.

"Oh dear, did I forget to tell you?"

"Tell me what?" he asked, his confidence wavering slightly.

"There was some trouble with the security camera cables. The power had to be cut while they are being repaired. So sorry, but it looks like we'll never know who the culprit is. What a pity," she said, shaking her head in mock sympathy.

Kyoya's eyes widened in disbelief that this girl had outwitted him. He had underestimated her. Part of him was furious at the extra work she had created with her little stunt. He had been preparing not only the club's budget for next term, but also a business plan that he hoped to present to his father when he returned that would hopefully gain him some respect. However, the other part of him was actually amused by her quick thinking, and the more he thought of how he would repay the 'favour', the more entertained he felt. He would enjoy toying with her for the short while that she would be an employee under his roof.

Violet felt quite pleased with herself for the remainder of the day, a feeling that showed in her smug smile. Gale was the first to note the sour mood Kyoya was in, but no one connected Violet's satisfaction with their young master's unhappiness. When her day's work finally ended, Violet strolled down to the change room adjacent to the kitchen where she was allowed to store her clothing and other things. She had already removed her apron and was starting to remove her shoes when she noticed that her clothes were not where she had left them. Frowning, Violet began looking around to see if she had not misplaced them, but they were nowhere in sight. Slowly it began to dawn on her, and she rushed out of the room barefoot, lifting her skirt above her knees to allow her to move faster. Taking the stairs two at a time, she skidded to a halt outside Kyoya's room seconds later, rapping loudly and impatiently on the door. There was no immediate answer, but before she could knock again, the door opened and Kyoya greeted her with an unusually pleasant smile. It was just as she had feared.

"Where are my clothes?" she asked with as much calm as she could muster. She saw his eyes dance in amusement and felt her stomach drop.

"Your clothes? Since when am I responsible for your clothes?"

"This is isn't funny. Those were my clothes."

"Just like messing up my important documents wasn't funny."

"Where are they?" she repeated.

"Actually, now that you mention it, I do remember giving away certain items of clothing that happened to be lying in my house to some beggar woman on the street. She seemed to be about roughly your size."

Violet's jaw dropped. "You didn't. How could you? You had no right!"

"Oh that's where you're mistaken. I had every right to do whatever I like with whatever is on my property."

Violet tried to argue, but she knew it would be an effort in futility. There was nothing she could do about it now. He had bested her, as simple as that. With a deathly glare and a grunt of dissatisfaction, Violet spun around and stomped off back the way she had come. Returning to the change room, she slipped her shoes back on, stuffed the apron into her bag and headed out the back door of the mansion, her gait displaying her frustration to everyone she passed. It was only when she was on the bus that the true motive behind Kyoya's plan came to light. People stared at her appearance, and some whispered to each other regarding her profession. Violet's cheeks burned with embarrassment, and she silently hoped she would not run into anyone she knew. She did not need to give the other students another reason to look down their noses at her.

When she arrived home – thankfully without incident – Violet quickly changed out of the uniform and slipped on her pyjamas. She went to check in on her mother, finding her sitting upright in bed.

"Ah Violet, how was work?"

"It was. . .not bad," Violet lied, not wanting to upset her mother by stories of her behaviour.

"Is everything still alright at the mansion? How are Miss Fuyumi and young Master Ootori?" her mother inquired. Violet struggled to keep her face pleasant. She could not understand how her mother could care so much for this family. Jealousy rose up inside her throat, bitter as bile.

"How can you care so much about them, especially that Kyoya Ootori?" Violet asked. She saw her mother's head tilt slightly to the side, a puzzled look in her eyes.

"You don't like him?"

"Like him? I hate him!" she shouted, clenching her fists.

"But I thought you two would get along. He is just a bit older than you, and he's very smart, like you."

Violet folded her arms across her chest, showing her lack of interest. Her mother continued; "I know he can seem a bit cold and calculating at first, but give the boy at chance. He can be quite kind and generous too with those close to him."

Violet rose to leave.

"He and I will never be close, mother," she replied, her voice soft and distant. Her mother watched her go, but stopped her at the door by calling out.

"Could you at least try to be pleasant to him? Or if you find that too challenging, then at least refrain from doing anything to anger him."

Violet opened her mouth, wanting to protest, but the pleading look in her mother's eyes made her stop, and Violet left in a huff, shutting her bedroom door behind her, thus signalling her desire to be left alone. She climbed into bed, quickly checking her cell phone. There was a text message from Sarah which went as follows:

_Hey Vi, you've been quiet lately._

_Hope you didn't forget our deal. _

_Call me when you feel like getting together._

_Don't spend all your time sleeping!_

-S

Violet shut her phone and placed it down, not bothering to reply to Sarah's message. She would talk to her as soon as this ordeal was over, which would be soon.

Hopefully.


End file.
